Higher education has long been viewed as a social elevator. The path to a higher education credential, however, is complicated for students from low-income and/or minoritized communities. This report provides a snapshot of digital tools designed to help students with college exploration, college admissions, and financial planning. To set the…

The INFAMOUS financial aid data system which has five participants--registrar, undergraduate admissions, graduate admissions, academic information reporting, and financial aid--is described. Sample letters to financial aid applicants are included. (MLW)

A survey of financial aid officers in 50 state universities concerning information dissemination about graduate student scholarships is reported. Specific suggestions are given, e.g., establishing a computerized or microfiche system to organize information for individual or printout access, increasing publicity by a variety of means, and getting…

A test of a reputable scholarship search service using a fictitious student and characteristics revealed that the aid source information obtained was only fair in relevance and response rate to follow-up inquiry. Students are advised to concentrate on more productive sources of information: colleges, personal contacts, and publications. (MSE)